FAFSA
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FAFSA for 3 kids: Can some file as independent to get more aid when Parent Plus loans maxed out?
I'm drowning in Parent Plus loans for my twins (sophomores) and now my youngest is starting college next fall. Our combined income looks decent on paper (~$98k), but with 3 in college and living in an expensive area, there's no way we can contribute what FAFSA expects or take on more PP loans. I'm wondering if having some of my kids file as independent could help them qualify for more direct loans? Would this work? And if they file independent, can we still claim them as dependents on our taxes? Currently, they all live in dorms during school year but come home during breaks. None make enough income to fully support themselves. I need to figure this out before the 2025-26 FAFSA opens in December.
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FAFSA parent without SSN invitation error - checked 'no SSN' but system says 'SSN in use'
I'm a college counselor helping a student with a specific FAFSA issue and I'm completely stuck. The student has parents who aren't married and both need to contribute info. Neither parent has an SSN. We successfully created FSA IDs for both parents and got them verified. We were able to invite the father to contribute to the FAFSA with no problem, but every time we try to invite the mother, we get an error saying "SSN is in use" - even though we've checked the box indicating she doesn't have an SSN! We've compared all the information on her FSA ID account with what we're entering in the invitation about 5 times, and everything matches perfectly (name, DOB, email, etc.). Anyone encountered this specific error before or know how to resolve it? The student's priority deadlines are coming up soon and I'm really worried this technical glitch will cost them financial aid opportunities.
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Did you try contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly? They should be able to fix this on their end. I know the wait times are ridiculous, but this seems like something only they can resolve if it's a system error.
We actually did try calling them once but gave up after being on hold for over an hour. I think I'll try some of these technical solutions first, and if none of them work, we'll have to bite the bullet and wait on hold again. Thanks for the suggestion though!
Hey, just checking back - did any of these solutions work for you? I'm curious because we're still seeing this issue pop up with other families at our center.
Yes! We got it to work finally! It was actually a combination of things. First, we had the mother double-check her FSA ID settings to confirm the "No SSN" box was checked. Then we completely logged out, cleared browser cache/cookies, and waited about an hour. When we tried again, we used ALL CAPS for her name as someone suggested. That finally worked! The invitation went through and she was able to contribute her information. Thanks everyone for all your help - this forum saved us!
FAFSA confusion - I claim BF's daughter on taxes but I'm not her legal parent - who should be on her application?
My stepdaughter (technically my boyfriend's daughter, but I've raised her since she was little) is graduating high school this spring and planning to attend community college. I'm completely confused about how to handle her FAFSA. Here's our situation: I claim her as a dependent on my taxes since I'm the only one with income. Her father (my boyfriend) is a stay-at-home dad with zero income. Her biological mother left years ago and we have no contact info for her whatsoever. When my stepdaughter fills out the FAFSA, should she list me as the parent contributor since I financially support her and claim her on taxes? Or does she need to list her father since he's her biological/legal parent even though he has no income to report? I'm worried about getting rejected for aid if we fill this out wrong. Does anyone know what the FAFSA rules say about blended families in this situation?
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Thank you all for the advice! I called the community college's financial aid office this morning, and they confirmed that only my boyfriend (her legal father) should be listed on the FAFSA since we're not married. They said to have him report zero income and be prepared to provide a written statement explaining how our household expenses are covered if they request verification. The counselor mentioned this happens frequently with blended families, so we shouldn't worry too much. I appreciate everyone's help with sorting this out!
That's great! Getting confirmation directly from the college's financial aid office is always the best approach. They're familiar with these situations and can guide you through any verification process if it comes up. Best of luck to your stepdaughter with her college journey!
UGH why does the FAFSA have to be so COMPLICATED?? It's like they designed it to be confusing on purpose! And now with all the new changes to the 2024-2025 FAFSA it's even MORE confusing. Did your college say anything about the new SAI score vs the old EFC? I heard they're using a different formula now.
Yes, they've replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI), which uses a modified formula. For a household with a zero-income parent like in this case, the SAI will likely still be very low, possibly zero, which would maximize potential need-based aid. The main difference is that the SAI can actually go as low as -1500 in some cases, which wasn't possible with the old EFC system.
FAFSA form vanished from dashboard 2 days before deadline - can't access or create new one
In full panic mode right now. My daughter and I have been working on her FAFSA for the 2025-2026 school year, and we were planning to submit it this weekend (deadline is Monday). But when we logged in today, the form has completely disappeared from both our dashboards! It's not showing as submitted, rejected, or even in progress - it's just GONE. When we try to start a new application, the system says we can't because there's already one in process - but we can't see or access it anywhere! Has anyone else experienced this? I'm freaking out since we're so close to the deadline. Will call FSA tomorrow morning but wondering if there are any quick fixes we should try tonight?
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@OP - did the browser switch fix the issue for you? Just checking back to see if you got it resolved since the deadline is so close.
Yes! We got it working and managed to submit yesterday afternoon. Such a relief! Thanks again for your help - that browser switch tip saved us from a very stressful Monday morning. We'll definitely be starting the process much earlier next year!
Glad you got it working! Remember for everyone else - next year start the process AT LEAST a month before the deadline. Every year I see the same panic posts the week before deadlines. The FAFSA system is just not reliable enough for last-minute submissions.
easier said than done when your trying to get tax info from an ex who wont cooperate until the last minute 🙄
True, family complications make it harder. In that case, you can actually submit with estimated tax info and update it later! Better to get something in by the deadline than miss it completely.
How do merit scholarships and federal loans fit into financial aid calculation after FAFSA SAI?
Newbie here - FAFSA form processed and have my SAI. From the group I have learned that COA - SAI is the number school will look at when awarding aid. What I am not clear on is where a merit scholarship for grades and/or the subsidized/unsusidized loans parts come in. Does it come off the total with the school aid packages or my portion that I would owe? Hope this makes sense
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i'm confused abt somethin else - does the SAI even matter for merit scholarships??? i thought merit was JUST based on ur grades/test scores and had nothing to do with financial need or SAI numbers????
You're correct that merit scholarships are primarily based on academic achievements, not financial need. They're awarded regardless of your SAI. But when schools calculate your total financial aid package, they may factor in merit scholarships you've received when determining how much need-based aid to provide. That's what creates the confusion for many families.
Thanks everyone for the responses! For what it's worth, I called two schools today and they both handle merit aid differently. One school reduces need-based aid dollar-for-dollar when you get merit scholarships (so it doesn't really help much financially). The other school applies merit ON TOP of need-based aid, which is obviously much better. Definitely worth asking each school directly!
That's exactly why these forums are so helpful! Each school has their own policies that aren't always clear from their websites. Great job being proactive and calling them directly. When you get all your aid packages, you might want to try negotiating with your top choice if another school offered better terms.
Luca Russo
just fyi my neighbor had their kid emancipate right b4 college and they got TONS more aid that way. might be worth looking into legal emancipation if ur kids r 17
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Mateo Sanchez
This is extremely problematic advice. Legal emancipation is a serious court proceeding that requires proving that parents are unfit or that the minor is completely self-supporting. Pursuing emancipation solely for financial aid purposes could constitute fraud. Courts don't grant emancipation for financial convenience - it's for situations where minors truly need to be legally separated from their parents. Please don't suggest this as a financial aid strategy.
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Zara Mirza
After reading through all these responses, I think your best options are: 1. The strategy mentioned by the financial aid counselor about PLUS loan denial leading to increased unsubsidized loan eligibility for your children 2. Filing appeals for professional judgment at each school based on the multiple students in college and any other special circumstances 3. Looking into whether any of your children qualify for merit scholarships or outside private scholarships Remember that falsifying information on the FAFSA has serious consequences including having to repay all aid received, fines up to $20,000, and possible prison time. The schools and the Department of Education have sophisticated systems to detect fraud.
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Diego Flores
AuthorThank you for summarizing. I would never want to falsify information - was just trying to understand the system better. The PLUS loan denial strategy sounds promising, along with appealing to the financial aid offices directly. I appreciate everyone's help!
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